Why is Alexis Tsipras’ resignation embarrassing?

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsiprasannounced on August 20, 2015 his resignation and called for the holding of anticipated general election which is likely to take place by mid-September 2015. “(I want) to submit all of what I did (since January 25, 2015) to the Greek people so that it decides anew,” Tsipras said. Tsipras’ decision mostly generated negative, dubious at best, reactions and embarrassed European institutions and governments for two reasons.

The first reason is that it brings back uncertainty on Greece’s political future while a third financial bailout worth €23 billion has just been validated. Tsipras’ move would therefore be untimely lest a new Prime Minister, not Tsipras, would question all this. The second reason is that it’s replacing the people at the heart of the political system and giving it back the sovereign right of choosing by the vote, this way underlining even more strongly how unwilling the other European governments are to consult their constituents on major issues.